Positive H. Pylori - Guelph

So frustrating.  How common is it for people to test positive for the blood H. Pylori test?  I'm going to be taking 2 types of antibiotics for 2 weeks and a stomach protector medication as well to eradicate it.  Then will have to go for a breath test at St. Mary's hospital to ensure I'm clear.  Thankfully I've only been through my first round of appointments, my 2nd round is booked Apr 3.  I'm very glad they caught it, just really hoping it doesn't slow down the process too much :(.

It is frustrating, but at least they caught it. I was shocked when I got a call from my doctor for the same thing. It should not slow down the process, you should be done with everything in 6 weeks. The breath test takes only 7-10 minutes, you blow into a balloon and wait few minutes and that is it. And the result is ready in a week.

I would suggest to look into sleep study testing, if you needed to be done…my family doctor told me I don’t have to have it, (wasted 3months there),but the clinic said that I must have it, so all that back and forth wasted 8 months for me. Waiting list for my sleep study was 6-8 months, for the results another 4-6 weeks wait and it was never ending waste of time. And I am not done with everything, I have to purchase the CPAP machine and have to use it. It is a pure nightmare for me, I am very claustrophobic and putting that mask on my face is like I am being suffocated. But some people love it and can’t sleep without it. But, I am work in progress. My referral was on September 25^th 2012 and just now, I have an appointment with the surgeon Dr. Reed on March 28^th 2014 with possible surgery in April. Long wait…but I am using that time to get rid of my bad eating habits.

Good luck and keep us posted, Jarka

My Family doc and I filled out the stop bang form for the sleep study and concluded that I didn't need a sleep study.  The nurse at Guelph said that's ok (my bmi is 44).  I just need to have my doc sign the form which I didn't even think of when we filled it out.  No biggie since I have an appt with her for my babies next week anyway.  Hopefully since they just requested the signature that'll be all they require.

Mine was too, but the nurse at the Guelph clinic decided that I have to have it.  But, at least you have your paperwork filled out by your doctor, and my doctor just asked me those questions, but did not filled out that sheet, and I did not know any better.  It's possible that was the problem with my situation, that my doctor did not filled out or signed my sheet. Oh well, what can I do now...I think that sleep study and CPAP machine is just a money grab, I know that some people needed, but they twisted my results so that you have to purchase the machine.

H. pylori is extremely common.

What used to be mistaken for upset stomach or even stomach ulcers was in fact Helicobacter pylori.

It's only in the last 10-15 years that the doctors have come to realize just how ubiquitous it is.

It shouldn't be a problem for you though - first of all, it is very easily treated with antibiotics.

Secondly, the fact that they caught it now means that you won't have horrible symptoms on top of the already invasive measures taken on your stomach and intestines. That's very good. THe whole shebang shouldn't take any longer than 3 weeks from start to finish, and you shouldn't experience a delay in your process at all.

That's great, thank you, and thanks for all the responses.  I'm on day 1 of the antibiotics...4 pills 2x a day with potential side effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, upset stomach, headaches, and yeast infections....woo hoo! lol.  Hoping I won't have to deal with any of those but I know amoxicillan often gives me yeast infections (even when I increase pro biotics) so that'll likely be the last pill I take (fluconizole) lol.